1. Field
The present disclosure relates to a control method for a fuel cell system, and a fuel cell vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2014-166103 discloses this type of fuel cell system. Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2014-166103 discloses a fuel cell system that stops step-up operation of a fuel cell side converter when load of a motor (inverter and motor) is in a low load state (paragraphs [0009] and [0010] of Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2014-166103).
Due to stopping step-up operation of the fuel cell side converter, the fuel cell voltage is applied directly to the inverter through a diode or the like, and a directly connected state is formed between the fuel cell and the motor load.
Thus by stopping step-up operation of the fuel cell side converter and making a direct connection, the switching loss of the fuel cell side converter becomes a value of zero. The efficiency of the fuel cell system is accordingly improved. In cases in which the fuel cell system is a fuel cell vehicle, what is referred to as fuel efficiency, or in other words the driving range per liter of hydrogen under standard driving conditions and standard hydrogen pressure filling, is improved.
In such cases, the fuel cell voltage can be controlled by an energy storage device side converter having a function to step-up the energy storage device voltage.